Hearing the Invisible
by Shigure001
Summary: Life always had it's loop. We woke up, ate, worked, and went back to sleep. What made life interesting was a bump. My bump happened to be 'death'. (SI/OC) AU
1. Chapter 1 Life

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Life always had it's loop.

We woke up, ate, worked, and went back to sleep.

What made life interesting was a bump.

My bump happened to be 'death'.

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* * *

.

* * *

"Shigure-san, please let's me copy your homework!"

"No,"

"Pretty _please_?"

"No,"

"Pretty please with one whole week free food coupons?"

The brunette thought for a moment, then she nodded. "Okay,"

The girl wiped her tears while shakily handed her whole food coupons. Shigure tossed those in her bag and handed her homework to her classmate. Her classmate quickly snatch it from her hand, glared at the brunette and quickly walked away. Without forgotten to cursed her mentally.

' _I hope some ghoul eat you, you rapacious bitch.'_

"Right back at you," Shigure replied softly. She didn't expect her homework to return in one piece either.

Ghoul, the beings which had the same level of intelligence as human, was a true predator of human. The beings that shouldn't existed in her world.

Her old world, to specify.

"Hah," Shigure let out of snort, look out of the window. "This life should be interesting."


	2. Chapter 2 Was

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Albert Einstein once said that

 _"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."_

 _but something, 'curiosity could kill the cat'_

 _I wonder if I am that 'cat'?_

 _..._

* * *

 _..._

* * *

"I'm home."

My sound bounced off the wall. The word didn't mean anything to the empty apartment. I sighed and felt hollow inside.

 _When you lost everything you had, you cannot help but long for it._

In my case, it was just a typical accident. A car crash was a common cause. It took both of my parents and I was alone after that. My relative whispered behind my back at my parents' funeral and wondered why I didn't shed a tear for them. They suspected that I am the reason of their death. Hearing their thought, I never laughed so hard, pitying my parents for having such a narrow mind siblings.

Nobody took me in after the accident. Fortunately, I already turned twenty at that point, so I couldn't careless of those relatives of mine.

I rented out a cheap apartment. A fair amount of walk to the college, but wasn't too far. I took up a part-time job as a convenient store's clerk. It barely covered up my college fee and living expense, but it was better that smooching of my parent's insurance money.

The clock showed the time. It was almost nine-thirty.

 _Hunting time for ghouls._

I quickly closed my window, checking if it locked properly. Grabbing the leftover onigiri from the store, I quietly munch it while turning on my television.

"...An identical incident has occurred in the shirakami street. The Fluid's composition matched that left at the site of the incident from the 28th."

 _Shirakami street wasn't far from here._

I pull out a map containing many layers of a circle. some are close, some are far apart, and some are overlapping others. Using my circle, I carefully draw another circle over the shikami street.

The 'binge eater' was really a type to cause trouble. Because ghoul usually attracts and prefer to eat the opposite gender, it should be a 'she' since the victims are mostly male. She was ruthless and seems to leave corpse everywhere she went. Her territories seem to be increased very time she hunted.

Or maybe she just killed those in other area and do what she usually want.

 _Seem to be in the Later._

I have been interested in ghoul for almost a decade. It had been like that since I caught the word 'Ghoul' in television. That was when I realized that this world was surprisingly like the one I have read a while back. The more I searched, the more I was convinced that I have seen it before. The 'binge eater' was one of the best evidence. I was in the world that was not my own.

I took a quick glance at the calendar.

Tomorrow is Saturday.

 _...I wonder what will happen tomorrow._

.

.

* * *

.

.

 _Geez, why is it so hot today?!_

 _Will he think I am too fat?_

 _That bitch pissed me off!_

 _I wonder if that girl checking me out?_

The brunette grunted, clearly annoyed at the noise of thoughts and people. She put her earphone and tried to hide in the corner of the cafe. Shigure wondered why she got out of her heavenly bed this morning. Why she had to dress up, only to huddle in the corner of the cafe like some caveman? The women didn't really know it herself. Maybe it happened because of her curiosity, or it could be her urge to do something.

She was dancing on a thread. Fall off and she would surely die.

 _And it would be a terrible death._

"Thank you for the wait!"

She snapped out of her thought, and her book she hold fall to the ground. Shigure scrambles to reach for the book, but she is not faster than the waitress. She could only blink sheepishly at the waitress who smiled and hold her book to her.

"Ah, thank you very much." The brunette scratched her cheek with embarrassment, accepting the book back.

"No problem!" The waitress smiled cheerfully. "It's my pleasure to help. After all, we read the same book."

"Haha, I don't really like terror or tragedy so much. But this book does have its unique taste."

Shigure doesn't like horror. The reason why she pick this book to read is to understand the author, _Takatsuki Sen_.

The work reflected the mind. Even if the author could cover her ideal with beautiful words and terror scene, the core still remained. Shigure wants to read Takatsuki's mind. Although she really had a hard time reading terror novel, she had to at least try. Shigure sighed and gently sip her drink.

"How about this cafe Riza-san? They said that this cafe's specialty was great!"

The brunette choked on her drink when she heard the familiar name. Hot liquid pass through her tongue, making it sting and burned. Her coughing fit seems to grab everyone in the safe, especially when the waitress quickly offered her a cup of water.

The black hair men look at her for a bit with his concern face. Whether it unfortunate or not, their eyes have met.

Black hair, black eyes, and young innocent face reflected on her eyes. Shigure snapped her face to focus on drowning her water, forcing their eyes contract to break. Her heart beat so fast. It was as if it's going to come out of her chest. Her body begin to involuntary to sweat. The stress of coincidence meeting really was getting to her.

—even if she was the only one who know him.

 _Is she alright?_

A single thought entered her mind. Even if it was faded by many noises of thought, she can't help but be touched by his innocent concern. She duck her head until she heard them settle, and then let her eyes wander upward.

His company was a woman. Long flowing black hair tied down with white ribbon. Having pretty face and good body, no wonder nobody took a second of what she might be. She cannot help but admired the women's cunning and violent mind. Shigure's thought surprised even herself. How could someone who feed on her kind seem so powerful and beautiful? It not what she should think at all.

Shigure never once thought that she would meddle into a dangerous territory named 'Kaneki Ken'. The brunette, however, cannot help but observed how he was and how he will become.

—but seeing the oblivious man happily chatting with that _women_ changed her view a little.

Shigure sighs and packs up her things.

"Can I have a bill, please?"

 _I still have a place to visit before the curtain started to raise._

.

.

* * *

.

.

The smell of slightly roasted bean met her nose when she pushes in the door. Shigure calmly walks inside, mentally prepared for what to come.

"Welcome, may I help you?" The waitress welcome her with a smile.

"One cappuccino and..." Her eyes glance into the cafe, "a sandwich, please."

And that's when she felt it.

 ** _Their eyes, thoughts and intentions._**

 _Human! It's a human!_

 _Damn, I want those pretty legs. I bet it will be tasty!_

 _She is by herself. Maybe I could try to..._

 _..._

Shigure ignores their thoughts and sits down in the corner of the cafe. She could feel their attention boring through her body, causing her hair to involuntarily rise up.

Just stating that she was a 'human', it was like declaring herself as a 'prey' to a bunch of wolves.

"Good afternoon," the Soft and polite voice snapped her out of mind. The first sight that greet her is a gentle looking man. He wears a suit and seems to be rather proficient with putting up his smile. "Can I share the table with you, miss? The cafe seems busy today."

Shigure looks around and sees the coffee shop pack with many people. She looks at the man again and gesture at him, "Sure if sharing didn't trouble you."

"Ah, It would be me to say that. Thank you, miss, you are very kind."

"... _Many_ people often said that" Shigure remark and smiled.

Despite his pleasantness of striking up a conversation, the Asian women can still see through his deception and his real intention of getting close to her. She could read him like an opened book. Even though it sounded interesting at first, being able to predict what he was going to say next was definitely become boring fast. The fact that she pretends to became so attentive to him could only be one sole reason, to understand the natural of ' _ghouls'_.

 _The man who keeps looking at my thigh wasn't a pervert, he was a ghoul._

It was funny when how much ghouls she had met since she stopped running away.

—And stopped and watched the show.

"So, are you a college student, miss?"

"I am," She muster up a mask of smiling face, acting as she found this conversation to be as interesting as possible, "I am Akatsuki Ren, from Kamii University— you?"

"Wataru Hiroki, at your service, ma'am" He raise his hand, an invitation to shake hers.

Shigure _smiled_ and gently shake his hand.

 _…_ _Soft, it was so SOFT_

 _I really want to know how soft this hand is when I bite into it._

 _If only, I could—_

She immediately loosens her hand, still smiling—

— Yet, her hand was unnoticeable shaken.

Shigure, somehow, could only doubt herself now that she is facing a deep trouble.

 _What am I bringing myself into, I wonder?_

.

.


	3. Chapter 3 A Show

_'Neutrality is at times a graver sin than belligerent'_

 _-_ _Louis D. Brandeis_ -

 _But I wonder_

 _''Will changing will make it better...or worse?"_

.

* * *

Approaching someone was hard for her.

It was even harder when the one she keeps her eyes on was a the human-turned-ghoul. Shigure stood awkwardly outside the room, weighing a pros and cons whether to visited him or not.

And the feeling of not wanting to tangle herself in this mess was winning almost by a landslide.

The brunette sighed, and prepared to turn back when she felt a light tapped on her shoulder.

The women wearing a nurse dress flash her an uncertain smile, "I'm sorry to bother you, but I have seen you wandering outside the room for a long time. Are you Kaneki-san's relative?"

"No, I am not his relative. I just called the ambulance for him in the accident," Shigure lets out a small fixed smile, and acting as if the patient's health is concerning her, "I am just checking on him if he is okay."

Of course, his bigger concern wasn't his health from now.

"Oh, how kind of you. Kaneki-san seems so lonely here. It would good if someone visited him," The nurse beamed, but the next moment her face wore a weary smile, "But I am really sorry for the inconvenience, Doctor Kanou restricted everyone from visiting him for the time being. It seems like Kaneki-san is still sensitive."

"Don't worry about it," The brunette brushed it off casually, "If you would, could you handed my get-well gift to him when he is better?"

Shigure briefly placed a bundle of stuff to the nurse, finally feeling relieved at last.

Part of her didn't want to face such a horror scene of someone so kind heart turning into ghouls. She wasn't ready to face the fate that she could change yet. Fate isn't meant to change. If someone designed Ken Kaneki to become ghouls, then he would be someone who would bring change to something. What if he didn't become a ghoul, will the world still be like yesterday?

That sounded boring.

Her darker side snicker in the deepest part of her mind, mocking the wanna-be-hero girl like her.

* * *

The brunette closed her eyes, scanning around to make sure no one find her.

Around six o'clock, she managed to shake off the 'Hiroki' while he offered to escort her home. Sometimes she thinks what in the world people think that they can actually escort people who just met. She sure would creep out if he was just some stalker. The ghoul's thought was clouded with a hunger that he couldn't think straight. Acting like a pervert by staring at her leg and thigh didn't really help neither.

Then the air changed.

Shigure instinctively clenched her hand into a fist as the raw red emotion enter her mind like a sharp needle. Then, she could hear the sound of footsteps of two people, chattering and chuckling without one knowing what is about to happen to him.

A few minutes of silence and the scream begin.

Shigure hid carefully and watch the scene. Her breath hitched as the Binge Eater revealed its true form. Her kagune was colored in a shade of pure bloody red. Her face twisted into a smile of the predator, playing with their prey. Her usually clear voice turned into a high pitch sound. Shigure felt chilled throughout her body.

 _It was terrifying._

"I will gently scratch inside your stomach for you, Kaneki-san," 'Riza' smiled in her own twisted way.

"Ah-Ahhh!" The young men struggled but, he could only get as far as a few steps when Rize's kagune pierced through his body. The force was so much that his body flew and hit the wall against the construction area.

 _RED_ warm blood flow out of his body and his was out cold, either from the shock or the force he receive when he slam against the door. Rize approach him, still wearing a smile on her face.

"Oh my, did you die?" Rize laughed as if she was only talking about none-sense thing, not killing someone. "I really like your type of body. Proper amount fat and not too much muscle are easy to eat. I wonder if who would taste better, the people I had this week, or _you_..."

Then something felt different. Shigure quickly snap her head up when she sense an anonymous train of thought.

 _She saw it._

A man who wore a **CLOWN** mask, covering his face **.**

He slash the wire holding the steel. It fell down at the same time when Rize look up.

 _But she was too late._

The bunch of steel collapse on the ghoul.

 _What-He..._

Shigure unconsciously look at Rize fading life, she forgot to pay attention to that clown mask. But, he was already gone. The brunette took a quick search and take a closer look at this men while took a careful step around Rize.

Her warm hands touch his throat. His skin is going colder from all losing so much blood, but his still has pulse. The sign of being alive.

Sometimes, Shigure wonders how life can escape human so easily. Even here right now, without much effort, she can choke this man to death. She can end his life. In the other hand, it could be a mercy if she kills him now. The brunette's hands squeeze tighter around his neck.

Let's kill him.

His breath labored, but he can't defend himself as the air got taken away, and he is going to die. DIE.

She sees the men struggle to breathe, only to failed and stump down. It's funny how she didn't even wince when she was murdering someone.

Maybe Shigure isn't a human as herself think she would be?

 _I am going to die. I am going to die. I am going to die. I am going to die. I am going to die. I am going to die. I am going to die._

 _I am going to die.I am going to die.I am going to die.I am going to die.I am going to die.I am going to die.I am going to die._

 _...Die._

 **DIE.**

 **-Live.**

 **I WANT TO LIVE.**

The strong emotion that came tackling into her makes her flinched. Shigure could feel it as if that emotion was her own. The fear of dying and the desperation made her hand gone limped, and her sense finally came back to her. Shigure finally realized the answer.

 _It's not her to decided to his fate_.

How many times do this man have to go through to survived? Isn't it because of his will to live makes him survived this long? Isn't he chose to go through all of the things because he just wants to live?

She signed while calling for the ambulance, leaving the scene afterward.

* * *

Thinking back. Shigure didn't know if she has made the right decision.

"Oh, okay. Sorry, I didn't think I catch you name, Miss..?"

The brunette paused and smile, "...I am Akatsuki, Akatsuki Ren."

The nurse nodded and look at the gift. It turned to confused when she know what it is.

 _Why a coffee?_

* * *

 _Shigure hid a smirk in the corner of her mouth as she turns her back_

 _"Akatsuki Ren? I wonder where those name came from?"_

 _Shigure couldn't help but smile amusingly when she walk out of the hospital. She stops a moment to admire the view of Kaneki's window._

 _'What I will do now, I wonder?'_

 _Shigure didn't know what she would do. She decided to become an observer, yes, but she knows that it would be a torturous progress. She wants to know what will happen next, especially her 'foresight' doesn't go pass the scene where Kaneki met that special class investigator._

 _Ah, what is the name again?_


	4. Chapter 4 Plan

.

 _'When you know what a man wants you know who he is, and how to move him.'_

 _ **-** George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords -_

 _I smiled and wondered._

 _"I was gift with this ability, why not use it for my sake?"_

.

* * *

"Please come again," The brunette speak out in a monotone voice as the last customer exited the shop. Shigure sighs when her job is finally over after she changed her cloth.

It was tiresome to serve food all the time. Maybe she should switch to tutoring some kids instead.

She slips out her notepad out of her jacket's pocket, reviewing what's going to happen next.

Trauma…figure out that he can't eat…meet Nishiki…

 _Nishiki?_

Shigure flips to the back where she wrote what all about that person.

 _Nishiki (Tail), violent ghoul, protective of his girlfriend(human), hot head._

 _He sounds like trouble_.

Shigure thinks wearily. The part which worries her is that she remembered that he was attending the same university as her, as well as his unknown girlfriend. Somehow, the brunette doesn't remember the name of this girlfriend. She only hopes that it wasn't one of her friends.

Well, it's not like she has a friend.

Ah, FOUND HER.

The sound of thought bypassed all of the thought strikes into her mind, loud and clear. It directed to her. The chilled sensation slowly took control of her body.

"…Is that you, Akatsuki-san?"

It was totally a fake question when he already knew who she is.

'Akatsuki Ren' slowly turned to face the direction of the spoken voice. Her carefully crafted mask put up a surprised face.

"Hiroki-san?"

The man in black suit, totally ordinary salary man was walking toward her with a pleasant smile.

Lost in her thought, she discovered that she is still in a crowded place. Mentally, she let out a sigh of relieve as she continues to act as 'Ren'.

When finally he was within reach, Hiroki asked with a bright expression, "Such a surprised to see you here. Are you doing well?"

"I am fine, kind of busy lately. What are you doing here at this hour?" Shigure answered smoothly. The answer she prepared in advance was perfect.

"Ah, I just finished my work, you see." He holds a document in his right hand for her to see. "It can't be helped since I am a salaryman."

Ren laughed lightly. Even if the conversation is cheery and pleasant, Shigure could feel a chilled every time Hiroki took a peek at her form. The feeling of disgust made her want to puke. When she deemed it took long enough, she excused herself to home.

But—

"Why don't I walk you home?" looking at the phrase, it could be a common courtesy. However, Shigure heard it differently.

SO THAT I COULD EAT YOU.

Somehow, Shigure found herself thinking of her own mother, long long time ago. When she can't sleep, she often begged her mother to read her and book.

A red riding hood.

Somehow, she indeed felt like one now.

Oh no, not that innocence kind of girl. Instead of bright red color, it was more like she was wearing a cap cover with blood and gore.

 _Ah, I wonder if someone was willing to rescue this **sinful** red?_

The brunette replied with an apologetic bow, "Thank you, but I will only take up your kindness. I can't possibly make you do that kind of thing."

"But it was dangerous when it so dark out here, there are a lot of news." He still tried to take her home with a worried face.

"Oh? You mean _that_?" Shigure emphasis. Her eyes grew sharp and a glint in her eyes show how she find this conversation so amuse. Shigure didn't even know why she has to be careful when the reason she could die on the way home was him. "But I think I am okay. Actually, I was waiting for someone here."

"Oh, really? I thought you are going to the station since you were walking."

Her hand twitched when she could sense his suspicious. Good thing the ghoul didn't notice the sudden change.

"Ah, well…" The brunette smiles, but she already went past the point of irritation.

Suddenly, heaven seemed to sense her irritation and sent her some help out of pity.

"—Hey! I finally found you!"

Shigure snapped out of her thought and glance at the source of the sound.

The women with short brown hair approach her, waving as if she already know her. This woman was tugging along the annoyed man who didn't look like he wants to be here. Some sort of familiarity pass her, and Shigure finally recognized this woman.

"Ah, oh it's you."

The gloomy women, that what's the rumor tell her about. Shigure remembered her. Her name was Kimi and other girl gossiped about how her family died in the plane crash or something. It was the same tragedy as the brunette. The only difference was that she hadn't fallen into depression like Kimi.

 _Someone who fell before couldn't have fallen again._

And only now that she is confused beyond anything.

 _Why did she come?_

"So is this your friend you are talking about?" His face showed some disappointment, while glancing at that couple.

"Yes," She smiles and acts like an actress. "I think I should go now,"

"but..." He tried again, while he take a look at 'her friend' again. That's when he met the eyes of the men beside Kimi.

Then his train of thought suddenly change, and she actually froze when a bitter taste filled her mouth. Pure emotion suddenly invaded her mind.

Horrify.

Scared.

Nervous.

Scary, Scary, scary-

"Sorr- Sorry Akatsuki-san, I- I need to go now." Hiroki's face went pale white like a paper. Shigure blinked as he stumbled on his own words while distancing himself from her. She opened her mouth to ask, but he was already turning away from her. Questions occurred in her mind as she went to greet her savior.

"You are…Amaya Shigure right?" The short brown hair girl asked.

"You are Nishino-san, right?" Shigure tilted her head to the side, expressing pure confusion, "Why do you know I need help?"

'Nishino' smile, "Women always know when our fellow need helps, and I also want to talk to you for a long time."

 _Is that all?_

Shigure kept her doubt in her mind as she said her thank. When she look into her mind, the only thing that could explain her behavior was how Kimi related her lost to her, the girl who face the same lost.

The boy next to Kimi then spoke, "Oi, are you done your chit-chat, Kimi?"

"Ah, wait. At least introduce yourself first!" Kimi introduced her to her boyfriend, "This is Amaya Shigure."

The boy sighed and raised his hand for a handshake; Shigure didn't mind much so she didn't hesitate to shake his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Amaya-san"

"Nice to meet you too, Um…"

"My name is Nishiki, Nishio Nishiki"

 _…shit._

* * *

Nishiki is a egotistic men.

More than anything, he didn't-

 _trust_

human.

He can't even both this two words together in one sentence. They are food, and they are tools. That's always and will be what he thought about them.

And Kimi, his girlfriend is such a foolish girl. With only a few kind words and she came falling into his arm. Kimi is distrustful, but she always give her all to him. This _love_ thing is really convenient, isn't it? Love make people blind, and they make a person forgive someone who have _killed_ them. It was so pathetic. Even Kimi, he was certain she would have willingly offer herself to him as a meal.

On wimp, he take her out on a date.

He was full from eating yesterday. The meat taste kind of bad, but he has to bear with it. And then they meet _her_.

Women being harassed isn't such an extraordinary thing. However, something about that girl make his girlfriend to stop and insist on helping her. He sniff the air and found out the one harassing the brunette was a ghoul. He sigh, and glancing at his girlfriend.

Nishiki doesn't know who she is, but Kimi does.

"Kimi, just stay here. If he know that we know her, he would go."

The situation then later solved as that worm met his eyes. It seem that it could recognized him and was aware that he was stronger, so with a pale face, it scrambled back. The women who was still partly confused come to them.

All he do was putting on his usual fake smile, and shake her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Amaya-san"

"Nice to meet you too, Um…"

"My name is Nishiki, Nishio Nishiki."

 _The women froze._

 _And he know this women seem to know something she shouldn't have known._

He didn't want to sound full of himself, but Nishiki have perfectly craft this 'mask' for all his life. He also know who has the same mask as him. In order to blend into human society, he trained himself more than just acting like human, he also able to read the reaction humans have.

 _Like finding out his **secret**._

The pause was short and fast. Her blank face turn into a practiced smile.

"Thank you for your help. I own you one." The girl said, turning to Kimi with a smile. "I will treat you lunch next time, when see each other."

.

.

.

"Kimi," Nishiki decided, "Don't go near that girl"

"Why?" Kimi asked with a confusion.

"I think she is trouble"

 _he didn't know how right he is._

* * *

 _Hiroki_

 _Nishio Nishiki_

 _Nishino Kimi_

she couldn't help but sigh. Shigure unknowly walked into such a dangerous character like Nishiki. In this time period, his behavior was still unstable. If she play the wrong card, he would have done something like disposing her. In that situation, she should have some back up plan in order to protect herself from unexpected thing.

The brunette finally reach home. She flopped on to the bed with a groan. Unknown stress finally lessen when she relax on a soft mattress. However, her mind was running around in circle, trying to find a solution.

 _Hm, who will be able to protect me from ghoul?_

It should be someone who have influence on ghoul, but didn't involved in Kaneki's story much. In addition, he should be able to be in the situation of give and take with her with less possibility of back stabbing.

 _...Ah._

Shigure raised herself from the bed and pulled out her notebook from the drawer. She smirked when she finally flipped to the pages she was looking for.

 _' **Yoshimura** '_ _the king of club_.

 **He should do.**


	5. Chapter 5 Negotiate

_'Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.'_

 _-Nelson Mandela-_

 _I mused_

 _'Yoshimura, I am sorry. This is **not** a negotiation'_

* * *

The women stepped in front of the store. She wore a black suit in a professional manner. Her blond hair was tied up neatly in a bun as her hand pushed up her frameless glasses. Drawing a deep breath, the blond finally stepped inside the coffee shop.

The familiar smell made her shoulder slightly relaxed and she scanned the area inside the café to look for something.

"Excuse me, is the owner here?" The women in a suit ask the nearby waitress.

The waitress, donned in a basic waitress uniform, was a classic Japanese beauty. She was giving a list of order to the barista when the blond women ask.

 _Irimi Kaya_

 _Koma Enji_

She reminded herself these names mentally.

The Asian women smile, "Ah, excuse me, you are here for...?"

"Oh, sorry for my rudeness, here is my card." The newcomer held out her card while explaining, "I am from a small company that imported new kind of coffee bean. I have an appointment with the owner here, Yoshimura-san, am I right?"

"Please wait for a moment" With all due politeness, the waitress walk to the back door.

The eyes stare at the figure of women in a suit. Her intense perfume cover up her own smell, making some of the ghouls winced and begin to mind their own business. The women whirl around the edge of her hair aimlessly, lose in thought. That's was until someone touched her on the shoulder to gain her attention.

"You are Akira Cho right?"

'Akira Cho' whirl around to came face to face with the old man, followed by the same waitress. While the major customers were accustomed to the old man who always have a slight smile on his face, they were astonished when there aren't any smile when he came out.

"That's was me," The blond smile, "You are the owner, Yoshimura-san I suppose?"

Yoshimura cracked a smile, "Why don't we go inside?"

The glance full of suspicious were thrown in their direction. The barista shared some sort of message to the waitress as she node.

* * *

There was an unspoken silence between them in the room. Yoshimura was turning his back to her while preparing two set of coffee. 'Akira Cho' only stare at him with an unreadable face. Several minutes passed and the one who broke the silence was Yoshimura.

"Akira Cho...It is a fake name, isn't it?"

 _It wasn't even a question_.

"It is," 'Akira Cho' answer truthfully, her shoulder totally relaxed as the old ghoul pour a cup of coffee to serve her. "How did you know it was me?"

Yoshimura only remained silent as he pulled something out of the counter. He walked to sit down on the chair opposite from her and put it down the table.

It was a postcard. The background was all black except for the symbol of exotic butterfly pattern imprint in the front, giving off the allure of mysterious and danger. It gave a feeling of darkness, in contrast with the beautiful white butterfly. 'Akira Cho' glance at it in the corner of her eyes and smile.

"The perfume you used is just like the smell of this postcard" He then flipped to the back, only one single phrase was written in there.

 _'The change will come'_

"It was a postcard that appeared three days ago, and I thought you would come sooner or later." He paused only slightly. Yoshimura didn't smile as he stared at her through his aged eyes, " _May I ask who are you_?"

"I will," 'Akira Cho' sipped her coffee, "when Miss Doggy stop ear dropping and we are truly in private conversation, for _her own good_."

Quietly, the door open by 'Miss Doggy'. It was Irimi, the waitress.

As if he know she was there (she was certain he know), he patiently spoke to her with a gentle smile, "...Kaya, please resume your work."

Irimi narrow her eyes at her, Akira didn't have to look to know her distrustful toward her. The black hair women turn to the manager with a bow, "If you need anything, please call me, Yoshimura-san"

 _I don't mind getting rid of her, for you._

The unspoken sentence was left in the air. She then turn toward the door and leave. Akira cover her mouth to hide her smile, but it still fruitless when she finally crack a chuckle.

 _What a loyal dog._

"I am not 'V', nor am I affiliate with dove, if that's what you are thinking"

"Then who are you, miss?"

"Just call me a freelancer," She laughed at her words. When Akira finally subside, she began. "I come here to exchange."

"What can this old man do for a young lady like you?"

"A protection from ghouls, I guess? I don't think it was a hard task for someone like you," Akira hummed.

"And what will I get in return?"

"Information."

"If it information, I don't consider as an exchange"

"Is it? I thought the information about Eto is enough–"

 _Wham!_

The bloody red Kagune slam against the wall as her body was lifted in a choke hold. The action was totally unexpected. Akira never thought that with the word 'Eto' could wake up a beast sleeping within this man so much. It was a miscalculation on her part. The choke was beyond discomfort and she was running out of air.

" _ **Who are you?**_ " The gentle atmosphere around him was long gone. It was replaced with a beast with black eyes, darker than black. He was almost like nightmare awoken from hell.

Akira struggled to breathe. Both of her hand fruitlessly crawling his Kagune for air, before she gasped out, "If...you...k-kill me now *gasp*, 'V'...will...cer-certainly...hunt...her...down..."

" ** _Why?_** "

"...Why...not?" She managed only that.

Her eyes were blurred, and she can't concentrate on anything anymore. The air she has had was long run out. Suddenly, the pressure on her neck was gone and she crumpled against the wall. The black dots in her eyes began to clear as she heck a coughing fit.

" _ **How?**_ "

"…The old trick, kill me now and my accomplice will send that information to 'V'" Her voice was hoarse from being choke. However, she still dares to meet eye-to-eye with her attacker. "This is not a negotiation, Yoshimura-san."

The old ghoul was silent, but his retreating Kagune showed that he finally calmed down and was willing to listen. His eye went back to human's eye, looking straight at her.

"Why do you ask for my protection then, miss?"

"To observe," Akira answered truthfully because she was a little intimated by the store owner,"There is something I would like to investigate in 20th ward. Although this area was considered as peaceful more than other, any pests would be troublesome."

"What do you want to observe in this?"

"That is for you to find out," Akira sighed, briefly massaging her sore throat. "So?"

A second passed, Yoshimura let out a tired sighed.

"I will accept your proposition, however—" His pause briefly as he lowers his head to her ear. "If you ever come to harm one of my men, I won't hesitate to dispose of you."

She mysteriously smiled, a knowing look plastered on her face, "Of course."

 ** _Then the deal was seal._**

* * *

The women entered her room. A long suffering sigh left her mouth. Tugging of an annoying wig out of her hair, Shigure finally felt like she was herself again.

She didn't think meeting that old ghoul would be this hard and stressed. She looked into the mirror and let out a string curse when she saw a bruise started to form. No doubt that tomorrow it would have developed into an ugly purple one.

Shigure was sure that the moment Yoshimura become a beast, she have even wet herself a little.

The brunette fell into her bed without bothering to change her cloth.

 _I hope I could survive this world till the end._

 _What will you be doing now, I wonder?_

 _ **Kaneki Ken.** _


End file.
